Case Number 22733

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

Life is the most spectacular show on earth.

Opening Statement

"You do right by me, I'll show you a life most suckers can't even dream
of."

Facts of the Case

After Jacob (Robert Pattinson, Twilight) loses both of his parents, he
decides he needs a fresh start. Impulsively, he jumps aboard a train and lands a
job shoveling manure for a circus. During his time there, Jacob meets the
sadistic ringmaster August (Christoph Waltz, The Green Hornet) and his
lovely, quiet wife Marlena (Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line). When
August discovers that Jacob has a knack for working with animals, the young man
is promoted to circus veterinarian. However, Jacob soon finds himself clashing
with August on a variety of issues both professional and personal.

The Evidence

I think Water for Elephants works, though it took me a while to come
to that conclusion. This is a film in which every element works beautifully
except for the story at its center. Admittedly, most circus tents come crashing
down without a pole to hold them up, but the tale of forbidden love that
consumes so much of the film's attention somehow seems secondary to the many
pleasures the film scatters around the edges. Like director Francis Lawrence's
two previous outings (Constantine and I Am Legend), it adds up to
less than the sum of its parts, but those parts are compelling enough to make
the film worth a look, anyway.

As Appellate Judge James A. Stewart noted in his review, it's easy to tell
that Water for Elephants was condensed from a larger, more sprawling
novel. Like the aforementioned Constantine, it's a film that gives the
impression of struggling to contain the many ideas and characters it has to
offer. The positive side of this is that the film has a certain richness and
sense of depth which makes it consistently involving; we get the sense that even
the small supporting roles have been carefully considered. On the negative side,
there are a lot of things that seem underdeveloped (not least of which is the
tender relationship between Jacob and Rosie the Elephant) and moments in which
we imagine the pages describing a scene might be more involving than the actual
filming of the scene.

The best thing about the film is the performance of Christoph Waltz, who
once again demonstrates such a considerable screen presence that he wipes the
floor with the ostensible "leads" of the film. His passive-aggressive
brand of ferocity will initially remind many of his Oscar-winning turn in
Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, but Waltz quickly adds some
intriguing shades that cause us to recognize that August is a different sort of
evil. His moments of nastiness are inspired more by lack of self-control than
some wicked agenda, and he is prone to retreating into pathetic self-loathing in
the aftermath of these moments. Observe Waltz as he is confronted by Jacob after
the merciless beating of Rosie; his eyes look very much like those of a guilty
child. Even when the screenplay pushes the character into a blandly conventional
brand of villainy in the final act, Waltz remains magnetic.

The second-best thing about the film is the intoxicating circus atmosphere,
which Lawrence delivers generously and lovingly. There's an early montage in
which Jacob wanders the circus in a glorious daze; soaking in the richness and
beauty of the atmosphere. It's one of those old-fashioned moments of movie
magic; a hypnotically lyrical sequence which represents the cinematic equivalent
of great prose. Meanwhile, the extras and minuscule supporting character inhabit
their roles with an effortless authenticity which makes it easy to get lost in
this world (even if the world feels more like a lush Hollywood romance than a
recreation of a real time period).

Water for Elephants (Blu-ray) does a superb job of presenting all of
the film's imagery, offering a very attractive 1080p/2.35:1 transfer. The level
of detail is pristine throughout, as the film's vaguely sepia-toned dips into
nostalgia never employs the sort of excessive softness which often accompanies
such pictures. There's very little grain present, but the flick still retains an
appealing filmic look and appears very natural. Blacks are deep and inky, as
well. The DTS HD 5.1 Master Audio track is also excellent, particularly when it
comes to the immersive circus sequences. James Newton Howard's score is a little
generic at times (certainly not as moving or memorable as his work on I Am
Legend), but it's richly-presented and blends beautifully with the rest of
the track. Supplements include a commentary with Lawrence and screenwriter
Richard LaGravenese, a handful of featurettes ("Raising the Tent,"
"Secrets of the Big Top," "The Star Attraction," "The
Traveling Show -- Page to Screen," "Robert Pattison Spotlight,"
"Without a Net: The Visual Effects of Water for Elephant" and
"Feature Performer Reese Witherspoon") running about 74 minutes
combined, a trailer and a digital copy.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

As I indicated earlier, the central romance between the Pattinson and
Witherspoon characters never manages to become engaging, partially because the
actors involved struggle to bring something compelling to the table. Pattinson
is competent as Jacob, but you can see him straining whenever he's forced to
deal with something a little more complicated. He's earnest and handsome, but
that's just not enough for this role (particularly when you contrast his work
with that of Hal Holbrook, who plays Jacob in a pair of brief bookend scenes and
makes the younger actor look like an amateur in comparison). If
"R-Patz" wants to shed that heartthrob image, it's going to take a
little more than what he delivers in this film. Witherspoon does a decent job
with what she has to work with, but this character certainly doesn't play to her
strengths. In her most memorable roles (Election, Walk the Line,
Legally Blonde), Witherspoon is a commanding, take-charge presence.
Playing a character who withers into the background in the presence of her
husband is an interesting change of pace, but Witherspoon doesn't bring anything
to the part which suggests that she was the best choice.

Closing Statement

Water for Elephants doesn't quite meet its lofty ambitions, but the
riveting Waltz performance and the engaging atmosphere make it worth a look. The
Blu-ray certainly looks and sounds terrific.